Cape walk to raise cash for scholarship, cancer research to honor Franklin native

Saturday

Aug 9, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By Mark Strom

Daily News Correspondent

FRANKLIN – In 2005, Peter Daley was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that afflicts children. However, his case was unusual because Daley, at 27, was hardly a child.

Doctors were at a loss as to how to handle his case since treatments are designed for toddlers. The Franklin resident traveled to Boston for treatment from doctors who at first showed interest in his case.

But "two or three years into it, they didn’t want to have anything to do with it, so they told him to go home and just make peace with himself," said his mother, Nancy Daley.

Peter Daley spent the next five years undergoing treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City where he was treated as a pediatric case. On Aug. 17, 2013, Peter Daley died at home in Franklin.

A memorial walk will be held Sept. 6 at the Bourne Scenic Park, partly to remember Daley who was an operations specialist first class in the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in Bourne.

But the primary intent is to raise money for a scholarship for a Franklin High School student who is pursuing a career in nursing and to support neuroblastoma research. The fee to participate is $25.

The route starts at the Bourne Scenic Park, but there are numerous routes to choose from, including a 1-mile route to the railroad bridge, a 3-mile route along Herring Run, and a 7-mile route to Scusset.

The event will be catered with funding from the Daley family.

Nancy Daley said the plan is not to hold the event annually. "We can’t do this every year. People would get sick of us. We’re probably going to do it every other year," she said.

The event begins at 11 a.m. and participants are welcome to make a day of it. "It’s a little bit of a celebration atmosphere to celebrate Peter’s life, along with the walk," said Laura Spinella, a family friend. "So, we’ll try to be a little bit upbeat."

"(Peter Daley's) attitude was 100 percent optimistic," said Megan Spinella, Laura Spinella’s daughter. "No matter what news the doctors gave him, or what the outcome looked like, he was always 100 percent, ‘Well what can I do next to get better?’"

"He didn’t want to ever give up," said Nancy Daley. "He had cancer for eight years, and he had seven major surgeries, and up until the day he passed, he was fighting."

"He fought an awful disease with a great deal of dignity," said Megan Spinella. "I think many people are grateful for the chance to have known Peter."

Information on the event and how to purchase tickets can be found on www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-W-Daley-Memorial-Scholarship-Walk/1412015685742662.